Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-06-07
The SHARP TRIAL.
Mondays Proceedinss-Seven Hundred
Talesmen to Show Cause Why rhev
Should Not be Punished.
New YORK. ,June q

~, NEW L oRk, June O.
The defence in the Sharp trial claim tha,
jurors cannot have been influenced BY the
statement made by District Attorney MARITIME
about the alleged attempt TO "6x" some q,
their number to hold out for Sharp The
defence will probably move to have the iury
box emptied on the ground that the accusa.
ton has prejudced the minds of its occu-
pants Eleven Jurors cannot be gotten rid of
by premptory challenges, the defence having
only six challenges left. If the motion 10
empty the box 10 sustained, the defence will
claim the restoration of twenty peremptory
challenges, as all the past proceedings in
that case will be thrown out of considera.
ton. In any event, the trial will be cousid.
erably delayed. Judge Barrett expects to
nnish his investigation of alleged embriscery
in one hours time Monday Six persons
have received subpoenas to testify. Six hun.
dred and eight ralesmen who have failed to
respond 10 summons of the court will be
compelled Monday and Tuesday to show
cause whether they should not be punished
for contempt The proposed penalty, a ne
of 500 in each case will, if inflicted pro.
duce SCI 800.
In the court of Oyer and Terminer investi.
CATION of the charges of attempt at bribery
was commenced BY the calling of juror No Q
examination of Judge Barrett, on Thursday
afternoon. while ON my way home from court
an acquaintance crossed the street near nv
house and addressed me in this manner .Ah, ,
YOU are on the Sharp jury? l intimated to
him that did not care to talk about the mat
ter. He, however said to me, Don't be hard
on the old man."
On cross-examination the fact was drawn
out that Mr.. Hoogand was the party, and
had had business dealings with the Westside
Bank. of which Hudson is secretary. A
warrant for Hoogland's arrest was ordered
Chas- Kshuweller who was juror for sew
eral days, testified that he had not been ap-
preached by anybody. He had told a report
er that he had received letter without a
date or signature, but this was not true and
had only been done to throw the newspaper
man of the scent.
Geo. Rupfel, who was summoned as a
juror, said: Two men called on me the
18th of May and told me that if | would be
on the Sharp trial that it would be worth
$4,000 to me. They also said that if be-
come foreman l would ever after have moth
ing else to do but smoke cigars"
On cross-examinaton Rupfel denied tell
ing either Mr.. MARITIME or his associates about
it. This contradicts the district attorney,
who said that Rupfel had spoken to him the
witness also said that he had treated the
whole matter as joke.
Geo. A. Sutton, another man who was in
the box for few days, testified "a Mr.
Warner, social acquaintance, came into nv
place last Thursday and asked me if want
ed to get off the jury. said did. Then
he said. 4 suppose you are for the prosecu.
tion| Afterwards he said, Can't you favor
the detense?' This was followed by re
mark about my being excused next day. l
was challenged by the defense the following
day.
Judge Barrett issued a warrant for the
arrest of Warner.
The Sharp trial adjourned this evening
with IL jurors in the box. the fourth chair
vacant. The defence have exhausted l6 per
emptory challenges, the people IL. The
total number of jurors so far examined is S3l
out of the 400 summoned No fines were
imposed today on talesmen who responded to
the summons to show cause why they should
not be punished for contempt of court as all
had legal excuses.